My Little Pony, A Compendium of Background ponies
by PonyMan713
Summary: The entire collection might not be sad, but this a a collection of one-shots about background ponies that are mostly going to be tearjerkers. These are ponies I felt an odd connection to and thought I'd share some thoughts of mine about. I hope you all enjoy the stories. The Mane Six may be mentioned briefly, but this story is not about them. Rated K for some dark elements.
1. Chapter 1

I thought I'd begin a series of one-shots featuring ponies that there are limited fan materials for. I'm just throwing some more pony fan stories out there. I admit that a majority of these stories will be rather sad, so if you don't care for emotional strain, this might not be the best set of stories for you. However, there will be the sporadic joke in here, I suppose, but I want to focus on some of the conflicts background ponies probably suffer from as well. I hope those who do read this enjoy the material.

Story 1: A Forgotten Father

The streets were bustling in Ponyville as per the usual day, with market stalls open and friends chatting and gossiping as they went on with their days. However, heads turned sharply as a strange sight for the various ponies appeared. The streets began clearing with great speed as frightened ponies ducked into their houses and stayed silent beneath benches.

A single stallion walked along the road as quiet as the night. The air around the stern stallion seemed to just plummet in temperature. From the wide-brimmed hat perched neatly on his head to his pickax cutie mark, this single equine was infamous for his austerity. His stone-cold frown and austere gaze could scare a dragon. This local rock farmer was sharper and colder than any stone he overturned. At least rocks grew warm in sunlight. His austerity was so intense that it was rumored that it was his ancestor, and not Princesses Celestia and Luna, who froze Discord in stone.

Unlike Zeocra, who was mysterious to the populace of Ponyville, or stampedes which meant immediate harm, everypony knew this stallion of dull gold pelt. He was perhaps the only pony who rivaled Filthy Rich in wealth, owning half the local property and charging folks rent for the real estate. He still seemed to grow richer even from that, but he never spent a bit as far as anyone knew. It was as though he grew gold at that rock farm of his. His notoriety as a skinflint and a miser inspired many songs. Unlike his daughter who lived in town, however, everypony sung at him rather than with him.

The words were even starting as Derpy Hooves began to shiver, looking at her longtime friend with her wall eyes. She uttered quietly to acknowledge the presence of the wandering stallion, "_When you feel a cold wind chill you, it chills you to the bone_."

Golden Harvest nodded in response to Derpy as she looked on at the passing Stallion. Being a farmer as well, she was even more frightened by the visitor. "_But there's nothing in nature that freezes your heart like years farming stone_."

The nearby Lyra Heartstrings heard the other ponies as the classic chorus started. She was hiding behind the doors of a shop, peeking out at the grim figure. "_It paints you with indifference, like a fence is painted white_," she agreed with Golden Harvest.

"_But the worst of the worst_," Bon Bon continued, looking up at Lyra from her peeking out of the lower half the door. "_The most hated and cursed_!"

The four in-town friends combined their singing voices as the figure finally passed their block, "_is the one that we call Clyde_!"

Ponies from every window and door watched the trotting stallion as the song grew louder, hooves pointing at the austere creature as he walked along. "_Unkind as any, with the wrath of many, there goes Grayson Pembroke Clyde! Oh, there goes_ _Mr. Humbug! There goes Mr. Grim! If there gave a prize for being cold, the winner would be him_."

"_Old Clyde, he loves his rocks, because he thinks they'll last forever_," the children in the schoolyard looked up from amongst the bushes and heavy playground equipment, all nodding and shuddering in fear as they tried to avoid the imposing pony's gaze. "_If he had colts or fillies, you can bet they'd have friends never."_ Little did they know that he did have fillies, and one of them was their greatest friends.

Cheerilee grimaced at the foals' remarks. "Even the children don't like him…" She also lowered her head at fear of the austere stallion's gaze, should it be cast at her.

All fell silent as the dull gold stallion left the schoolyard behind and a collective gasp was heard as he looked up at the doors of Sugar Cube Corner. He looked back, causing any there to flee in fear. He probably was going to tax them on some long overdue payment or punish them for some other reason. Whatever his intent, it was probably not good.

"Humbug," Clyde cursed, before opening the door that entered Sugar Cube Corner. The bell over the door ringed, and the shop was immediately empty but the owning family. Clyde walked up to the counter.

"Oh, um, oh dear." Mrs. Cup Cake, the blue-pelted and pink-maned female owner of the pastry shop stepped awkwardly in place as she looked at the entering customer. "Oh, Mr. Clyde, we weren't expecting you today."

The piece of straw twitched in Clyde's mouth as he looked at Mrs. Cake. He reached for his saddle bag and pulled out a large pouch of gold bits and threw it on the counter. "Here you are, eighty bits. I hope this is enough for Pinkamena's room and board."

Mrs. Cake blushed. "Oh, good heavens, no." She bit her lip and corrected herself, "I mean yes. It's more than enough." She twiddled her forehooves together. "You know you really don't have to do this."

"I know I only charge forty bits rent on a full-sized house, but I realize my daughter could easily eat even a place like this out of house and home." Clyde sighed. "It's the least I could do, since you guys took her in so gracefully."

"Now, Mr. Clyde, it's really been a pleasure having Pinkie live with us." Mr. Cake popped up from the kitchen. "I mean, she helps watch the kids, she helps bake, and she's always ready to tell us what's good or not."

"You two know that filly wouldn't know the difference between a gourmet cake and a pile of burnt scones, if it has sugar in it." Clyde sighed. "It's why I'm awful thankful that you took her in at a young age. I don't even know if she remembers me and the farm anymore."

Mr. and Mrs. Cake grimaced as they gave each other a look. Mrs. Cake placed her hooves on the counter. "Look, Clyde, you're not blaming Pinkie over what happened, are you?"

"Of course not!" Clyde stomped his front hooves on the floor so hard that the whole of Sugar Cube Corner rattled. "It's not Pinkamena's fault that Sue was diabetic and that we didn't know until after she threw that party so long ago."

Mr. Cake smiled embarrassedly as he remembered when he and his wife were the newest couple in Ponyville. They were just opening the new bakery of Sugar Cube Corner, when Clyde had brought a nine-year-old Pinkie Pie to the establishment. It turned out that Pinkie Pie's mother had actually gone into a diabetic coma after eating so much cake and sweets at the Pinkie Pie's first party. Clyde was able to convince his daughter that her mother was just sleeping because of how hard they partied. He hadn't Pinkie Pie. He wasn't trying to get rid of her, per se. He just knew that Pinkie Pie would blame herself, if she found out that Sue never woke up. He didn't want Pinkie to stop being happy, after seeing her smile. Eventually, he just became a shadow in her life. He tried seeing less and less of her, though he always cared from a distance.

The orange-maned cake maker smiled sympathetically. "That's not what she meant, Mr. Clyde. It was a slip of the tongue. It's just… well… we're not her parents. We can only guess how much stress you're under. If you want to take her home, I'm sure she'd be happy to."

"Pinkamena didn't smile a whole lot on the family farm…" Clyde clenched his teeth in regret. "I apologize for getting upset. It's just… I get sensitive about my family, you know." He twitched his straw piece, before continuing, "Speaking of which, has Pinkamena been seeing anyone? I know Inquelle and Blinkianne are both busy, what with Inquelle spending so much of her time making statues and other stone art to be shipped out. Since we got the marble seeds, she's really been hard at practice about that. Blinkianne's been trying to make gold in the wink of an eye. She says diamonds are too common much anymore. She seems to think we can make Ponyville a richer place than Canterlot, once she's perfected her machine. Truth be told, I want grandkids. I hope I can get Inquelle and Blinkianne looking, but I want to hear about Pinkamena."

"Well, she's doing well." Mrs. Cake smiled warmly. "She spends a lot of her time with her friends and just making all of Ponyville just a better place."

"But she hasn't been looking for a special somepony," Mr. Cake commented, before running into the kitchen to tend to a waiting oven.

"I was afraid of that." Clyde shrugged as he adjusted his hat. "Course, I reckon I can't do much to change her. I love her the way she is, hard worker or not. And that's why I couldn't be more thankful to you two for watching after her." Clyde turned away. "My regards. I hope she doesn't cause you two too much trouble."

"Wait, Clyde," Mrs. Cake moved from behind the counter, carrying a small bag in her hands. "Certainly you could do with a few muffins coming all the way out here. It's the least we could do."

"Thanks." Clyde took the bag which was roughly the size of the one with eighty bits and placed it in his saddlebag. "Give Pinkamena a hug for me, I guess. Course she'll probably give you a hug first." He tipped his hat as he left Sugar Cube Corner.

To the ponies outside, though, they saw a pony with heavy saddlebags and not so much as a smudge of icing on his face. There had never been a pony so stingy as not to have a single sweet during a Sugar Cube Corner visit. Nopony, except one.

"_How could anypony be so stingy?_" Minuette quipped to Dr. Whooves as they passed each other in the street, looking towards Clyde with contempt. "_So stingy? So stingy? How can anypony be so stingy? He's the stingiest stallion in town!_"

"_Old Clyde is such a stingy stallion_," Dr. Whooves remarked, "_The tightest one since time began. He's so tight, so tight, I say, he wouldn't give a bride away_."

As Clyde snubbed the market booths on his way home, Roma continued the new song, "It hurts him so to pay one bit. He wouldn't pay a compliment!"

"_He uses lightning bugs at night_," Crafty Crate gossiped, "_to save the cash he'd pay for light_."

The two glared after the austere Clyde as he left the marketplace without buying a thing. They gave each a sidelong look, before sneering, "_How could anypony be so stingy? So stingy? So stingy? How could anypony be so stingy? He's the stingiest stallion in town!_"

Now the entirety of town collected in on the singing as before Clyde had entered Sugar Cube Corner, though, through their ignorance of the stallion that rarely entered town. "_And when his tomb is erected, nopony's going to be affected. But you can bet his ghost will roar, because he's paying for labor_."

The entire town was practically roaring after Clyde as he reached the outskirts, ignoring them all. "_And when it's time for him to go, his soul will travel where it's cold. And when he gets there, you will perceive, because the Wendigos will shriek, 'How could anypony be so stingy! So stingy! So stingy! How could anypony be so stingy?! He's the stingiest stallion in TOW-OWWW-OWWWWWN!_"'

Clyde pulled his hat over his eyes, frowning as usual, but he couldn't care less about their songs. He'd still grow rocks. He'd still build homes. He'd still miss his wife. But most of all, he'd love all his daughters, even if he couldn't live with them all. It was just the way his life went as he continued back to the rock farm. "Humbug."

Back in town, though, Pinkie Pie popped up in the middle of the street, shouting, "Hey, who started a song without me? Now I'm going to have to start one! _Oh, it's a great day of joy! It's a great day of fun! So come on everybody! It's time to have some fun~!_" She hopped along the street as everyone joined her in her new song.

...

Well, for those who want to know, if someone is singing in my writing, the italics will be inside quotes. Italics outside of quotes will be someone thinking.

The songs referenced in this one-shot include "Scrooge" from Muppet's Christmas Carol and "The Stingiest Man in Town" from Rankin Bass's The Stingiest Man in Town, for those who want to know. There's something about Clyde's appearance which reminds me of Ebenezer Scrooge, so I thought that'd be the general town's perspective of him, and that few would realize he was Pinkie Pie's father. I also thought it'd seem a reasonable explanation for why Pinkie Pie ended up at the Cakes', even if death by hyperglycemic shock is a little dark for My Little Ponies.

Be prepared for another one-shot soon.


	2. Chapter 2

This story was originally going to come out fourth in the series, but as I found that my first four stories had family themes to them, I decided to keep a father-brother (Male relationships) together as the mother-sister stories sort of have a continuance between them. Anyways, it is time to turn the attention to a pair of pegasi who really only received attention in one episode each. The episodes were different, but these two have been considered to have some sort of familial relations amongst the fanbase, so here I go.

Story 2: Brotherly Help

"YEAH!" Ten thousand pounds of horse muscle galloped down through the fields in the form of a titanic white stallion. This proverbial bee amongst pegasi was perhaps the most enthusiastic, almost psychopathic, of his species in almost everything he did. He was most famed for his talent in lifting weights that even Big Macintosh would have had difficulty lifting. From his jingling single earring to the dumbbell cutie mark on his rump, it was astonishing that this oaf could fly, let alone how nimble a flier he was.

Speaking of flying, this gargantuan beast of equine strength was hoping to find some good time in flying today. Or rather, a good chance with a flier. Being a pony of few words, having a slack jaw and a stiff face which made it difficult to speak, few really understood this excitable stallion's thoughts or ideas. It was much like talking to Twilight Sparkle, ironically. You got the general idea, but the overall message always seemed missed.

However, it was pretty obvious who the stallion wanted to talk to as he sat down in the wide field. Being an aerial draft horse who often delivered goods to Cloudsdale on his own back, with or without wagon, it wasn't often that he got to talk to a lot of the weather ponies. In fact, if he hadn't just been working overtime over the last few weeks with groceries to the groundless land of winged ponies, he probably would have not had the time to sit in the field, watching the blue jet of equine beauty beam through the sky.

Now, being a simple pony with simple words and simple phrases, this white wing stallion was able to keep a great many secrets. Sometimes that was a good talent, but sometimes that was bad. At least, in his own eyes, as he would like to be understood.

He watched quietly as the clouds were shaped above his head. His rigid girth could make sharp turns, but he wasn't terribly acrobatic. He could never shape clouds or handle weather duty. Most of the clouds were too scared of him for that, anyways. No, he was quite content to watch clouds from afar.

When he decided he had done enough cloud-watching, he swallowed heavily. It was going to be a tough question he was going to ask, but now was as good a time as any. He cupped his forehooves around his mouth as he aimed his head after the bird-like beauty above his head. "DASH!"

Rainbow Dash paused in the air as she looked down. She had mostly been playing, so it wasn't a bother, but it wasn't often someone shouted at her, unless she had just pranked them. It didn't take her so much as a second to spot the large white creature below her. She nodded and zoomed to the ground in a snap, landing as gracefully as a cat. "Hey, Snowy, what brings you out here?"

Snowflake blushed faintly. Though he had received many nicknames over the course of time, they usually dealt with his large size or his muscles. The fact that Rainbow Dash always referred to him with what sounded more like affectionate pet names, as opposed to just calling him some kind of handsome brute, had always intrigued him. Of course, what wasn't intriguing about her? She had all the grace of a swan with the ferocity of a dragon. She had a great deal of natural beauty, but she was never superficial about it. She was perhaps the only pony who could bring him to his knees without breaking a sweat. Except for the royals, that is, but that was due to respect.

Snowflake rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. He had called her down, but now he was just staring awkwardly at her. He knew what he had wanted to ask, but he didn't know how to say it.

"Snow?" Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in front of him to make sure he knew she was there. "Hey, Snowy, did you want something?"

"DATE!" Snowflake erupted, before covering his mouth quickly to stop the outburst.

Rainbow Dash had to smooth her hair down, and she shook her face. Surprisingly, Snowflake didn't have a bit of halitosis. However, that didn't mean she liked having her eyelids stuck to her eyeballs while she talked. She looked at Snowflake, slightly dumbfounded. She tapped her chin as she thought. After a minute, she shrugged. "You know, I really don't know what day it is. I mean, I'm usually told the weather, but it's not like I get a schedule or anything. They just tell me what to do." She scratched her head. "I think it's a little before cider season, seeing how it's still summer weather. So I guess it is late summer."

Snowflake hoofed his face. He knew this would happen. He grinned and tried again. He pointed at Rainbow Dash. "YOU!" He spread his arms out wide. "DATE!" He pointed at himself. "ME!"

Rainbow Dash looked at him curiously. "I already told you I don't know what day it is, Snowy, but I suppose I could find out for you. You probably need to get back to work anyways, right? I'll tell you later or something, sound good? I was planning on hanging out with Twilight, anyways."

Snowflake kept grinning, though he ached slightly in the pit of his stomach. "YEAH!" he told the blue pegasus in front of him. What else could he say? He didn't want to hold her up.

"Cool, then." Rainbow Dash smiled. "I gotta jet. See ya!" And with that, she was off like a bolt of lightning, though the shockwave did little to phase Snowflake. Instead, the white stallion pawed the ground a bit in shame.

From the nearby bushes, a smaller pegasus crept out. Despite being the editor of the school paper, Featherweight was always more of a field guy. He actually had been tempted to take a picture of Snowflake and Rainbow Dash together, but he remembered what happened to the last editor of the school paper, when such pictures were brought in and misinterpreted. He skipped out to talk with Snowflake, approaching him with curiosity.

Snowflake glanced over at the pint-sized colt who was walking up to him. "BRO!"

"Hey, Snowflake." Featherweight walked in front of his older brother. He sat down much like the older equine. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "So, you like Rainbow Dash, huh?" He didn't know his brother to keep a lot of secrets. He was one of the few ponies who sat down and could actually talk with Snowflake, too, so he knew most everything about his brother that a pony could. He blinked.

"YEAH!" Snowflake flexed his arms as he responded. He smiled down at his younger brother, before realizing the small pony must have been watching them. He tapped his forehooves together. "DASH… SHE…" He thought for a good word. "BUSY!"

"I guess so." Featherweight actually should have known. Rainbow Dash wasn't like most of the prissy pegasi mares who tried to act like doves or swans or be sky performers. She was tough, able to tangle with most earth ponies. Actually, he himself had a crush. Scootaloo. He knew that she looked up to Rainbow Dash, too. He would have helped his brother either way. _Scootaloo would naturally go for the younger brother of whoever Rainbow Dash is dating._ He smiled to himself as he looked up at his brother. _Not like Rumble had much of a chance. Rainbow Dash probably thinks Thunderlane is as pathetic as stallions come._ "Bro, you can't say what you want, can you?"

Snowflake grinned and shook his head.

Featherweight smiled at his brother's optimism. No matter what happened, he knew his brother would never give up. He jumped up and down. "Then I'll help you! We can meet near Rainbow Dash's place this evening. I'll just go collect a large gourd, some assorted beans, and a pair of funnels. You just… You flex your jaw a bit." He ran off.

Snowflake looked curiously after his younger brother. "YEAH!" he shouted his usual encouragement after him.

…

Later, towards evening, Snowflake was standing beneath Rainbow Dash's cloud. He pawed uncomfortably at the ground for a moment. Did Rainbow Dash see him? This could look bad, if Featherweight didn't hurry.

Fortunately, the younger stallion arrived in good time. He had made the gourd into some kind of maraca. Actually, it didn't take young for the elder to understand the plan of the younger. He pointed at the funnel-ended maraca and gestured to his mouth.

"Yeah. Exactly," Featherweight whispered. "I'll be right behind those bushes. You know what to do from here. Get her attention."

Snowflake was a little unsure. He could only remember trying something like this once before, and the foals' talent show was an amateur competition. His jaw was still stiff, after all. Nevertheless, he took a firm footing and took several deep breaths. Finally, he bellowed, "DASH!"

If it had been any other pony, Rainbow Dash probably would have leapt out of her skin at the surprising visit. However, the shout was too familiar to scare her. She looked over the side of her cloud. "Hey, Snowy!" She jumped down from the cloud, gliding so she didn't crash. "Nice to see ya. You were asking me something, earlier, right?" She tapped the side of her head.

While the blue mare was thinking, the blond stallion looked back to get the okay from his younger brother. This would take all the muscle control he could muster. He turned back to Rainbow Dash and smiled. "YEAH." Though it wasn't quite as loud as usual, the rattling tin and beans altered Featherweight's projected voice to sound much like his older brother's. "RAINBOW DASH, I THINK YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL."

Rainbow Dash stopped thinking and looked at Snowflake curiously. "What? No. I don't think that's much of a question."

"RAINBOW DASH, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. YOU ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MARE IN ALL OF EQUESTRIA." Snowflake did his best to keep his jaw moving. It was uncomfortable, but it would be worth it if this worked. "I WOULD LIKE IT IF YOU WOULD JOIN ME FOR DINNER SOME TIME."

Rainbow Dash stared blankly at Snowflake, after a moment, she leaned her head and began laughing. Not in a mocking way, but she laughed in a good-natured humor fashion. She wiped a tear from her eye. "Oh, that's rich. Okay, Snow, who thought they could try to prank me like this?"

Snowflake blinked curiously. He opened his mouth again, as he heard Featherweight. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THIS IS NO PRANK."

Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on Snowflake's shoulder. "Listen, Snowy, you and I both know that, even if you did go to speech class, you call me Dash all the time. Sort of like how I call you snow. And seriously, you're a nice guy who doesn't have to get involved in a prank like this. I'll bet it was Thunderlane who put you up to this, right? That guy thinks he can deal with a real prankster? Well, I might just have to fix his wagon. You know. Sorry you had to get involved with this."

In the bushes, Featherweight slammed his head against the ground, covering it with his forehooves. "How could I be so stupid," he murmured, fortunately not into his device.

Snowflake, tried to talk by himself now, "DASH!"

"There we go. That's the Snow I know." Rainbow Dash playfully punched his shoulder, before darting off. "Don't worry, I'll get Thunderlane back for you. He should know better, anyways."

Snowflake reached after Rainbow Dash to try to explain, but she was out of sight, before he could say a thing. He turned away quietly.

Much to his surprise, Rainbow Dash was in front of him again. She rubbed her bangs down as though she were thinking. "That's right. I didn't get you that date, did I? Well, I looked at Twilight's calendar, and it's Auguest 9th. Hope you don't get so bored at your job that you forget what day it is again." She began flying off at a more leisurely pace. "See ya, Snow!"

After Rainbow Dash was out of sight again, Featherweight stepped out from the bush. _If she were blaming Thunderlane for trying to get Snowflake involved in a prank, why didn't she check the bushes? _He walked up to his brother. "Well, I guess she's headed in the right direction to teach Thunderlane a lesson, huh?" He chuckled nervously. "I hope she doesn't go too hard on him."

"YEAH!" Snowflake smiled more tenderly than usual.

Featherweight stepped around in an uncomfortable circle. "I guess… I'm sorry, bro. I really messed up. I can do better next time. I'll add a couple more beans, so it sounds more like you, and I'll remember to just say 'Dash', and we can-" He froze as he heard a word which he had thought he'd never hear his brother say. Never in his life had his brother said something so quietly, so unenthusiastically, and so pitifully. And yet, that word was said with a much power as any other statement the herculean horse had said.

"No." Snowflake shook his head, smiling a sad smile. He looked up after Rainbow Dash.

Featherweight knew that face. Snowflake was thinking to himself. He had once read something Snowflake wrote. The penponyship was terrible, but it was incredible what thoughts went in that head. He didn't want to break his concentration, but, "We better get headed home, huh?"

"YEAH!" Snowflake replied with his usual enthusiasm. He picked Featherweight up and placed him on his back. He, too, took off with great speed. His powerful shoulder muscles more than made up for his tiny wings as he flew. He wasn't a Wonderbolt, but he was fourth fastest in Ponyville amongst the pegasi. As he flew, he though quietly to himself, _Dear sylph of many hues, verily, if I could only pontificate as other pony shall, I should reward you with lyrics that such a goddess of the air as you deserve. However, I acknowledge my weaknesses. Few stallions will, and fewer will admit defeat because of those weaknesses. I am one who will admit his weaknesses, though I do not admit defeat. I just shall relinquish victory until the day you exposit your emotions unto myself or another. Only then may I know whether I am victor or not._

Featherweight looked down at his brother's face as he clung on for dear life. "You're thinking something serious, aren't you Snowflake?"

"YEAH!" With that, the goliath stallion let on another burst of speed, though he would never reach the speed of the one he admired.

…

I hope that Rainbow Dash came off as oblivious (as opposed to mean-spirited). I just don't think she'd be quite so romantically inclined as other ponies (especially as she was more interested in her own Sonic Rainboom than the rest of wedding in the Season 2 finale). That's why I wanted Snowflake to come across as understanding rather than angry.

I admit that I ship Featherweight/Scootaloo, but I'm not sure how I feel about Snowflake/Rainbow Dash so much. It seems a harmless enough pairing, and truth be told Rainbow Dash is perhaps the most lacking of the Mane Six in male-female pairings, having Big Mac and Soarin' at most from what I've seen in fanworks. I can see Snowflake/Rainbow Dash working, but maybe I'm being racist with pegasi.

However, it was… interesting writing for Snowflake. He is one of those characters with so much, and yet so little, character at the same time, only having one repeated line and little screentime, yet he definitely stands out. I guess I wanted to approach it slightly like someone whose outward appearance leaves them awkward and looking as though they are mentally stunted, but due to their lack of communication skills, the full extent of their intellect can't be realized.

I hope he came out well.


	3. Chapter 3

Now is the something which I guess is a two-part, about a mother and a daughter. Though they are recognized well, they definitely are not as popular as the Mane Six. I must give some credit to a WOOP-DE-DE-DOO on deviantart, whose head-canon chart actually inspired this segment and perhaps is what led me to write this compendium overall. Though said artist has had no part in actually writing this piece. This might be a heartbreaker, just as a warning. Granted, I don't know of anyone who has actually lived through a situation like this, so I do not know how much this will "Hit you right in the feels" as I understand some to say.

Missing Mother

The guard at the hospital walked through the corridors with his flashlight aloft in his mouth. The lights in this part of the hospital were always kept dim. It wasn't as though many of the patients here noticed. Still he had someone with him today. She was thought to be a patient, but she proved harmless. Besides, the miasma-maned mare turned out to be difficult to contain as her bizarre mane seemed to melt bars, doors, and everything else they tried to keep her in. So long as she didn't cause trouble, she seemed tame enough to let on her own devices. She still came back every so often, though, to visit almost the exact same spot where she had been kept, too.

As he neared a door, the guard turned to the mare following him. He placed the flashlight on the floor. "You know the rules. You have until five. We can't let these weirdoes get too rowdy too late, or else they never get to bed." He didn't even look apologetic to the previous patient. "Sure, yours is a little more nocturnal, but we have more patients than just her here."

The pink-coated mare nodded sadly. "Thank you." Her twisted eyes looked towards the door with great hesitation. She had been through this door many times, and that wasn't what bothered her. It was how long the guard was watching her. "Um, I'm okay."

"Yeah, but we can't let her get out. She's quite the escape artist, even without your sick tricks," the guard responded. "Seems to get out every chance she gets. I'm going to have to make sure she doesn't get out."

The beanie-topped pony nodded as she rolled the doorknob quietly. She walked in just as quietly, much opposed to her usual character. She walked into the small hall which had several cells in it. This was as close as she was going to get to her target.

This hall was usually empty. Seemed this was where only the most dangerous of patients were kept. There were only three cells, and two were always empty, when she entered. The third was well-trimmed, looking much cleaner than the other present cells, but that may have been due to this particular resident. She seemed to have some influential loved ones on the outside who made sure she was treated well.

"M-mom?" The mare asked as she neared the last cell.

A head popped up from a paper bed in the corner. It looked around wildly, before setting its eyes on the newcomer. The silver-maned mare began barking like a hound at the mare on the outside. However, it was a friendly bark, knowing the familiar face from the many visits. She hopped up and down as she approached the bars. She bumped into the cell bars and rubbed her nose thoughtlessly. She began chewing on the bars, trying to get out.

"Oh, mom." The swirly-eyed filly on the outside began petting the imprisoned mare's head as she got closer.

The mare inside the cell reacted positively. She yipped in cheer.

"That's right, mom. That's right." The pink mare's miasma of a mane twisted and twisted until a bright blue screw revealed itself. The screw glinted as the wielder kept the insane mare charmed with gentle coos. As the hand-like appendage of hair positioned itself, the seeming assassin made sure that the guard wasn't watching. The door was closed. With a swift movement, she jabbed the blue screw into the back of the blue mare's head and began twisting quickly.

The blue mare shrieked with a yelp and recoiled back at the sudden pain in her brain. It was too late to avoid the attack, though. The screw was in. However, the mare did not collapse from pain. Rather, her silver mane had hidden a hole where the screw belonged. The hole was small, so it was no wonder the doctors couldn't find it. The mare writhed for a moment as the screw finished lodging itself into this hole. The mare finally stopped writhing, rubbing her head instead. She looked up, much less manic than before.

The beanie-wearing pony on the outside held onto the bars and smiled as she looked at the other mare's much more stable face. She was controlled now. Her beauty as a middle-aged mare was much more apparent, especially as hair was being put back into place by the practiced hooves of a proper pony. There were bags under the patient's eyes from age, and she actually stood taller than the pony watching her.

"Oh… Oh, Screwball," the patient tasted the words that had been lost from her mouth for so long. "Screwball." She walked back towards the bars. "It's so nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you, too, mom," Screwball replied. She stood in place, shuffling her hooves awkwardly. "S-so, how have you been?"

"I guess I can't really complain," the blue mare replied. "The food's disgusting, the room is small, and I don't get to see a lot of sun, but it's all right. The doctors treat me nicely enough."

Screwball looked down at her hooves and sighed. She was the reason this all had to be. She quietly raised her hoof and spun her propeller.

The patient mare smiled demurely. She rested her head against the bars. "So, how's your sister and fa..." she hesitated, "father?"

There was the key word. There was no real defining poor Screwball. She was stuck in a highly grievous predicament. There was a reason she held onto the screw. There was a reason she had the screw to begin with. This was all rehearsed, but no matter how many times the question was asked, it never got easier to answer.

Apparently, to a certain lord of chaos, a pony named Screw Loose had to be crazy instead of just an architect who could build effective structures that waved resiliently against wind, storms, and all other disasters like reeds, always recovering no matter the ill. He had flicked Screw Loose in the head, and out popped the blue screw of pony and the pink mare that manifested what a cracked psyche the poor mare would have to endure from then on.

It was a heavy sigh. She knew that there would be dispute on who her real father was due to such a confusing start to life. However, she knew who her real family was now. She had a sister that looked a lot like her, save for the nutcase details. Her true, loving father made sure that Screwball was comfortable at least. He had the funds to do so.

Taking a deep breath, Screwball finally replied, "Sis is doing fine. She gets in trouble from time to time for picking on some girls in her class, though." She let out cringing moan. "It's because you're not home a lot, you know."

"Oh, no." Screw Loose chuckled affectionately as she looked at the timid bit of chaos in front of her. "She's been like that for a while. However, it's because she feels entitled. I'm sure your father still spoils the both of you awfully well. It's to be expected."

"Yeah… dad." Screwball smiled meekly as she looked up at her mother. "H-he visited you on Hearts and Hooves Day, didn't he? Did you two do anything special?"

"Well, he brought me some of those high end dog treats, if that's what you mean," Screw Loose teased tenderly. "The doctors wouldn't let me go outside with him, though. They were afraid I'd run away again. I probably would have, too. It would have been romantic, were it not for complications."

Screwball nodded, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "We could go see them, now," she half-pleaded. "I could get the guard, and we can show him that you're perfectly fine! I could bring you home, and we could be a family again."

"Screwball, nothing would make me happier." The blue mare inside of the clinical cell smiled. "You know it can't be that way, though. There would be too many questions. You'd probably end up in trouble, too. They would think you did something like… like…" She held her head awkwardly as she looked at her special daughter, thinking carefully. "Like they would have expected someone much more chaotic than you to do in order to get what he wanted."

"But we could be a family again," Screwball complained. She practically rammed the bars of the cell. "I-I-I could melt you out right now. We could leave through the wall. It'd be so easy. It-I-it would be like when I got out. They'll give up eventually."

"To what end, my dear?" Screw Loose wrapped her forelegs around the filly and stroked her head gently. "What would you want to come of that? I'd still be branded as a lunatic. You'd be seen as just a local troublemaker. Even if they gave up, we would never be free." She laid her head against the pink mare's fluffy mane. "I know it's a lot to ask of someone as young as you, but you have to stay strong. I'll be all right. I'll try my best each day, and within a year or two, I'll finally get to be back with you and your sister and your father. We can be a family the right way. All it takes is a little patience."

"But I don't want to be patient!" Screwball pulled back and cried, coughing in spurts amongst her tears. "You do this every time, mama. I put the screw in, you get better, you talk to me, and then you tell me to take the screw out. It's not fair. I fixed you. I can let you out of here. It's just that simple. Why won't you let me take you out?"

"Shh," Screw Loose cooed gently. She smiled and gestured for the filly to come closer. "I just know. Each day, I am hurt a thousand times because I can't be with you and your sister. Each day, I struggle with myself. Each day, though, I work hard. Even if I don't get out before you and your sister have moved out of the house, I will get out of here by myself. It will be the only way the doctors will ever let me out, you know."

"I kn-kn-" Screwball choked as she walked up to Screw Loose. "No! It's not fair!"

"Life's never fair, my child," Screw Loose told her as she laid her forehead against hers in return. "Now, you know what you have to do."

"Yes, mother." Smaller, yet steady, streams of tears washed down her face as Screwball reached behind her mother's head again. She felt around for the screw she had put in. "Can I at least bring sis next time?" She knew the answer.

Screw Loose replied with a sad shake of her head. It would be too much punishment, especially if the little filly suspected her younger sister was in control of all this. It was only time now. As the screw left her head, her eyes began to splay again. She jumped up and down in excitement, barking happily as she trained her focus on Screwball.

The beanied filly tucked the coveted blue screw away into her hair again, reluctantly turning from the prison called a hospital room her mother was caught in. She didn't so much as complain as she returned to where the guard waited for her.

Meanwhile, Screw Loose watched her daughter disappear down the hall and whimpered. She paced back and forth in front of the bars, before giving up. She walked over to a nest she had made out of paper in the corner.

Each of these papers was crumpled up, though they had been collected carefully. The hand-writing filling out the request forms looked like they were done by a child, even if they were lucidly written. Each one had a bright red stamp on it reading REJECTED. The dog-behavioral mare teared up as she cuddled with the least crinkled of the release forms. She had so wanted to attend her daughter's birthday party. It had the most lucid writing on it out of the entire stack. Still, it was rejected. She was just too much of a danger now. Deep within her now deranged mind, she could only hope that she did not make a hollow promise to any of her family.


	4. Chapter 4

And here is the partner to chapter 3. If you didn't make the connections as to who the extensions of the family were in the last chapter, they are explained a little more fully in this one, especially as the focus is not on who you think it's going to be on.

Separated Sister

Screwball tried her best to smile as she entered her home. It was a tough time after each visit with her mother. Mostly, she didn't want to let on what it was she had been doing. Her father often insisted on going with her to these visits.

Meanwhile, a similarly-colored filly of pink with purple and white mane and tail was walking alongside a gray-coated filly with blue glasses. They were gossiping about their school day, before stopping in front of the stately mansion that was the Rich Estate.

As the door closed, the pink filly cringed. The gray one adjusted her glasses. "Diamond Tiara, isn't it early for your father to be home?"

"Why, yes. Yes it is." Diamond Tiara took an awkward step up on the stairs to the door. "I'll catch up with you later, Silver Spoon. I should probably see why he's back early."

"Now, hold on," Silver Spoon complained. She stomped her forehooves down on the path that led to the stairway her best friend was perched upon. "Why don't you invite me in? It's been what? I think it's been almost two years since I've been inside your house."

"W-well, you know," Diamond Tiara turned with a slightly blanched look to the white-maned filly. "It's just boring in there, anyways. It's just a bunch of stuff that is a no-no to touch like all of those fancy paintings and suits of armor that my dad likes to collect."

"It's not like my father doesn't collect that stuff, too," Silver Spoon corrected her. "It's not like I'm going to touch anything. We used to have a lot of playdates in there, before, anyways. Your parents never seemed to mind." She placed a thoughtful hoof on her chin. "Actually, now that I think about it, I haven't seen your mother in a while, either. My mother hasn't even gossiped about gossiping with your mother." She frowned. "And all of your parties take place at Sugarcube Corner, anymore."

"Well, it's not like any of the folks back in Canterlot exactly visit," Diamond Tiara took an awkward step backwards up the stairs. "And it's really not a good time, right now. My dad might be mad about something, if he's home early, so I better go comfort him."

Silver Spoon gave the receding filly a hard stare. After a moment of glaring, she sighed. "Very well, Diamond Tiara. I guess I don't really want to be around your dad, if he's mad. I'll see you tomorrow, then." She turned and began trotting down the path to her own home.

"See you, then, Silver Spoon." Diamond Tiara grinned broadly and falsely after her friend as she waved. She quickly turned and marched up the stairs. She threw the door open and shouted, "Screwball!"

The propeller-beanie wearing mare quickly trotted down from upstairs and jumped the smaller filly. "Sister! How are you?" She wagged her tail excitedly as she beamed at Diamond Tiara.

The young heiress ignored the question. "What were you doing outside?" she demanded, half-panicked. "You know you shouldn't be going out without permission. Everyone's glaring at you out there."

"I-I know," Screwball whimpered as she backed up into the house. She allowed her sister to come in, before she made another move. "I was just… I just needed to get outside. It's boring in here, you know?"

Diamond Tiara turned on Screwball and growled. "Really? You usually listen to dad! You know that you could end up in trouble, if we don't watch after you! You know-" She stopped as she saw the tear stains beneath the other pink pony's eye. "Oh… You went to see mom again." She sat down on the floor and began drawing awkward circles on the ground.

There was a heavy silence between the two which felt like a stone on a feather. It wasn't a staring contest. It wasn't even uncomfortable. It was just a pause, before they knew something had to give.

"You don't need to lie about that, you know," Diamond Tiara finally confessed. "You really should take one of us with you, though. I don't think the hospital likes you very much."

"I know." Screwball laid down submissively in front of her sister. "I just… it's my fault that she's in there, isn't it?"

Diamond Tiara flinched. She remembered when her sister from the same mother first came home. She had told her that it was her fault that their mother had to go to the nuthouse part of the hospital and would probably never come back. If they couldn't buy mom's freedom with dad's money, how could they ever get her out, after all?

Screwball looked up sadly at the smaller pony. "I'm sorry. I just like to see her. If you won't tell dad, I promise to only go with you from now on." Even though she knew this meant she could not use the special screw, she knew that her sister was only trying to watch out for her. "Mom said she didn't mind that you picked on the other fillies. She says you're entitled or something."

It was a flicker of a grin that passed Diamond Tiara's concerned face. She never could understand how Screwball seemed to always be able to talk to her crazy mother. She figured that it was because they were both crazies, even if she would never say it aloud.

"Big sis, why do you pick on the other fillies?" Screwball's expression was still sad as she looked up at the tiara-bearing rightful heir.

In response to the question, Diamond Tiara turned her head and coughed. "It's really not important. Go up to your room. I'll be up there to play with you in a minute. I just need to grab a snack and put my backpack in my room."

"Yay!" All cares seemed to flee from Screwball immediately as she buzzed on the air, flying away in glee at the prospect of her older sister playing with her.

The young heiress smirked after her sister. She really didn't hate her. She probably wouldn't have hated her, either, if she didn't act so dumb. No, it wasn't the fact that Screwball was a borderline psychopath. It was the fact that she acted like Diamond Tiara's younger sister.

Technically, Screwball was younger than her by a considerable gap. However, it made life rough for Diamond Tiara. She was nearly three times as big as her and looked more mature. If she would just act like a teenager instead of a five-year-old, Diamond tiara and Filthy Rich could have treated her like a delirious debutante who had returned from a boarding school that no one remembered being shipped off to in the first place. Instead, she acted like a kindergartner. Cheerilee probably wouldn't put up with the little nutcase, either.

Diamond Tiara sighed as she grabbed an apple and began eating it on her way up the stairs. She really had to stop eating these things. They reminded her too much of the little upstart Applebloom. That idiot and her couple of do-goods. Truth be told, Diamond Tiara was considered a late bloomer, as far as cutie marks go. She had been teased herself, so it was only right that Applebloom took her just desserts. Besides, Applebloom had her destined cutie mark practically spelled out for her. She and Sweetie Belle and even Scootaloo all had talents which would have gotten them cutie marks a hundred times over, if they didn't decide to stupidly experiment with everything.

What did Diamond Tiara have for a cutie mark? A diamond tiara! What kind of talent was that supposed to represent? Was it supposed to mark her as an heiress, and that's all she'd be good at? Did it mean she was going to just be daddy's little princess for forever? Maybe she could go into jewelry, but she wanted to go into business like her dad. Her cutie mark was rather defunct in her eyes. It was a status symbol, though. At least, she could take solace in that.

Even though she'd never admit it, Screwball was also rather defunct. It wasn't because of her chaotic nature. If anything, that was a plus. It was still that fact that she acted like a child rather than her older sister. Those Cutie Mark Crusader brats all had older sisters, after all. To the small heiress, Rainbow Dash counted as Scootaloo's big sister, blood relation of not. They were all talented and successful mares with the whole town's acclaim. Her sister could do far more amazing things than those three combined, though, with just her mane. Screwball could even fly without having wings or balloons. The only one who could really rival her sister in talents that lived in town was the true nutcase Pinkie Pie.

Diamond Tiara ground her teeth at the thought of that cake-hoarding mare. "Why don't they lock her up, instead of mom?" she speculated as she walked up the stairs. "Is it because she's too popular? She'd be more of a risk that a pony who just chased squirrels. Besides, mom doesn't normally act like that. She was a rags to riches story who married smartly and knew how to be practical. That lunatic was born that way, parading through town like she owned the joint. When would she learn that she just gets on everyone's nerves, eating all the sweets in sight like she does?"

Really, there was a lot which the little Diamond Tiara was jealous of. She couldn't even tell her best friend about her problems because her family was an ancient line with old money since the early days of Canterlot. The Riches were nouveau riche, being only wealthy for the last century or so. These issues her family was having would get them all laughed out of social elite society.

Diamond Tiara approached her bedroom door and opened it. She pulled her backpack off of her back and threw it into her room. Who needed that dumb homework? She knew how life and business worked. The homework was so boring and simple, she didn't even care for wasting a lot of time on it. She passed all of her tests, after all.

_No_, as she marched down the hall, she thought to herself. _I know what my life is going to be like. I'll watch after my sister and go to school. I'll keep teasing the blank flanks until they actually become a part of mainstream society. I'll end up as a trophy wife to a stallion that my father approves of. Hopefully colts grow out of being idiots, or my choices as slim. After that, I'll just be the pretty face while I watch after my family, both from being a sister and daughter and from being a mother. I just need to keep marching ahead with life. Everything will be fine. Mom will get out of the hospital, Screwball will grow up to be a good heiress, Applebloom will stay on her bumpkin farm, and hopefully that idiot Snails will smarten up and grow into the pick of the litter down here._

A blush crept across her face, and she shook her head. She was getting ahead of herself. She just had to live her life. After all, if all else failed, he daddy would take care of everything. He always, did.

She carefully opened the door to Screwball's room. Toys were already scattered across the floor as the swirly-eyed filly rolled around in playful impatience.

Screwball looked up as Diamond Tiara stood at the door. "Ready to play?" she asked in delight, staring at her sister intently.

Diamond Tiara entered the room with a flip of her hair. "Yeah. I'm ready to play."

…

I am not going to lie. I was going to be a little bit more leisurely with this. Then I find out they're converting Discord to good on the 19th of this month! Good grief! I needed him still "evil" for these chapters and one more, so there will likely be another chapter up later this week, before Saturday.

(Honestly, converting him this soon? That should have been a fourth season thing!)

Anyways, I'll be starting a much more light-hearted piece on ponies, too, centering on romantic relationships. After all, they're converting two villains to good now (Trixie and Discord). I need to get my points out before I get totally left behind by the series.


End file.
